Albert Bendura performed the Bodo Doll experiment in 1961 but it is still debated even after five decades with regards to its findings. Further its relevance is critically analysed in the wake of the contemporary debates related to increasing incidence of child violence along with the underlying role of media. It was a breakthrough research of the time as at the time genetics was assumed to be the major factor which was responsible for the underlying behaviour of children. However this experiment laid the foundation of social learning theory which advocates humans as learning from their social environment. Bendura is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of this line of thinking.
In this regard, it is first to analyse the Bodo Doll experiment …show more content…
The tests subjects formed three groups each consisting of 24 children each with equal representation both sexes. The experimenters matched the personality of the test subjects in order to minimise any behaviour difference arising on this count. The control group has no exposure to any adult role model. Another group formation resulted in the sub division into two groups of 12 each consisting of 6 males and 6 females. In one subgroup, a random sex adult acted in an aggressive manner with the Bodo doll while in the other subgroup, a same sex adult role model acted in an aggressive manner with the Bodo doll. The formation of third group happened in a similar manner. In this group, a passive adult model acted in a passive manner towards the Bodo doll. Bendura proved the existence of imitation based learning as the underlying aggression in the adult role model behaviour impacted the aggression in the behaviour of the test subjects. The passive adult model group showed the least amount of aggression even lesser than the control group. The gender responses to aggression also varied with physical aggression being predominant in males and verbal aggression being predominant in females. Hence, Bendura and his colleagues on the basis of the results achieved all the expected aims (Bandura, Ross & Ross,